1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2014 Free Software
4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
6 @chapter Frames and Graphical Displays
9 When Emacs is started on a graphical display, e.g., on the X Window
10 System, it occupies a graphical system-level ``window''. In this
11 manual, we call this a @dfn{frame}, reserving the word ``window'' for
12 the part of the frame used for displaying a buffer. A frame initially
13 contains one window, but it can be subdivided into multiple windows
14 (@pxref{Windows}). A frame normally also contains a menu bar, tool
17 You can also create additional frames (@pxref{Creating Frames}).
18 All frames created in the same Emacs session have access to the same
19 underlying buffers and other data. For instance, if a buffer is being
20 shown in more than one frame, any changes made to it in one frame show
21 up immediately in the other frames too.
23 Typing @kbd{C-x C-c} closes all the frames on the current display,
24 and ends the Emacs session if it has no frames open on any other
25 displays (@pxref{Exiting}). To close just the selected frame, type
26 @kbd{C-x 5 0} (that is zero, not @kbd{o}).
28 This chapter describes Emacs features specific to graphical displays
29 (particularly mouse commands), and features for managing multiple
30 frames. On text terminals, many of these features are unavailable.
31 However, it is still possible to create multiple ``frames'' on text
32 terminals; such frames are displayed one at a time, filling the entire
33 terminal screen (@pxref{Non-Window Terminals}). It is also possible
34 to use the mouse on some text terminals (@pxref{Text-Only Mouse}, for
35 doing so on GNU and Unix systems; and
37 @pxref{MS-DOS Mouse,,,emacs-xtra,Specialized Emacs Features},
42 for doing so on MS-DOS). Menus are supported on all text terminals.
45 * Mouse Commands:: Moving, cutting, and pasting, with the mouse.
46 * Word and Line Mouse:: Mouse commands for selecting whole words or lines.
47 * Mouse References:: Using the mouse to select an item from a list.
48 * Menu Mouse Clicks:: Mouse clicks that bring up menus.
49 * Mode Line Mouse:: Mouse clicks on the mode line.
50 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional Emacs frames with various contents.
51 * Frame Commands:: Iconifying, deleting, and switching frames.
52 * Fonts:: Changing the frame font.
53 * Speedbar:: How to make and use a speedbar frame.
54 * Multiple Displays:: How one Emacs instance can talk to several displays.
55 * Frame Parameters:: Changing the colors and other modes of frames.
56 * Scroll Bars:: How to enable and disable scroll bars; how to use them.
57 * Drag and Drop:: Using drag and drop to open files and insert text.
58 * Menu Bars:: Enabling and disabling the menu bar.
59 * Tool Bars:: Enabling and disabling the tool bar.
60 * Dialog Boxes:: Controlling use of dialog boxes.
61 * Tooltips:: Displaying information at the current mouse position.
62 * Mouse Avoidance:: Preventing the mouse pointer from obscuring text.
63 * Non-Window Terminals:: Multiple frames on terminals that show only one.
64 * Text-Only Mouse:: Using the mouse in text terminals.
68 @section Mouse Commands for Editing
69 @cindex mouse buttons (what they do)
70 @cindex mouse, selecting text using
77 Move point to where you click (@code{mouse-set-point}).
80 Activate the region around the text selected by dragging, and put the
81 text in the primary selection (@code{mouse-set-region}).
84 Move point to where you click, and insert the contents of the primary
85 selection there (@code{mouse-yank-primary}).
88 If the region is active, move the nearer end of the region to the
89 click position; otherwise, set mark at the current value of point and
90 point at the click position. Save the resulting region in the kill
91 ring; on a second click, kill it (@code{mouse-save-then-kill}).
94 @findex mouse-set-point
95 The most basic mouse command is @code{mouse-set-point}, which is
96 invoked by clicking with the left mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-1}, in the
97 text area of a window. This moves point to the position where you
98 clicked. If that window was not the selected window, it becomes the
101 @vindex x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position
102 Normally, if the frame you clicked in was not the selected frame, it
103 is made the selected frame, in addition to selecting the window and
104 setting the cursor. On the X Window System, you can change this by
105 setting the variable @code{x-mouse-click-focus-ignore-position} to
106 @code{t}. In that case, the initial click on an unselected frame just
107 selects the frame, without doing anything else; clicking again selects
108 the window and sets the cursor position.
110 @cindex mouse, dragging
111 @findex mouse-set-region
112 Holding down @kbd{Mouse-1} and ``dragging'' the mouse over a stretch
113 of text activates the region around that text
114 (@code{mouse-set-region}), placing the mark where you started holding
115 down the mouse button, and point where you release it (@pxref{Mark}).
116 In addition, the text in the region becomes the primary selection
117 (@pxref{Primary Selection}).
119 @vindex mouse-drag-copy-region
120 If you change the variable @code{mouse-drag-copy-region} to a
121 non-@code{nil} value, dragging the mouse over a stretch of text also
122 adds the text to the kill ring. The default is @code{nil}.
124 @vindex mouse-scroll-min-lines
125 If you move the mouse off the top or bottom of the window while
126 dragging, the window scrolls at a steady rate until you move the mouse
127 back into the window. This way, you can select regions that don't fit
128 entirely on the screen. The number of lines scrolled per step depends
129 on how far away from the window edge the mouse has gone; the variable
130 @code{mouse-scroll-min-lines} specifies a minimum step size.
132 @findex mouse-yank-primary
133 @findex mouse-yank-at-click
134 Clicking with the middle mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-2}, moves point to
135 the position where you clicked and inserts the contents of the primary
136 selection (@code{mouse-yank-primary}). @xref{Primary Selection}.
137 This behavior is consistent with other X applications. Alternatively,
138 you can rebind @kbd{Mouse-2} to @code{mouse-yank-at-click}, which
139 performs a yank at the position you click.
141 @vindex mouse-yank-at-point
142 If you change the variable @code{mouse-yank-at-point} to a
143 non-@code{nil} value, @kbd{Mouse-2} does not move point; it inserts
144 the text at point, regardless of where you clicked or even which of
145 the frame's windows you clicked on. This variable affects both
146 @code{mouse-yank-primary} and @code{mouse-yank-at-click}.
148 @findex mouse-save-then-kill
149 Clicking with the right mouse button, @kbd{Mouse-3}, runs the
150 command @code{mouse-save-then-kill}. This performs several actions
151 depending on where you click and the status of the region:
155 If no region is active, clicking @kbd{Mouse-3} activates the region,
156 placing the mark where point was and point at the clicked position.
159 If a region is active, clicking @kbd{Mouse-3} adjusts the nearer end
160 of the region by moving it to the clicked position. The adjusted
161 region's text is copied to the kill ring; if the text in the original
162 region was already on the kill ring, it replaces it there.
165 If you originally specified the region using a double or triple
166 @kbd{Mouse-1}, so that the region is defined to consist of entire
167 words or lines (@pxref{Word and Line Mouse}), then adjusting the
168 region with @kbd{Mouse-3} also proceeds by entire words or lines.
171 If you use @kbd{Mouse-3} a second time consecutively, at the same
172 place, that kills the region already selected. Thus, the simplest way
173 to kill text with the mouse is to click @kbd{Mouse-1} at one end, then
174 click @kbd{Mouse-3} twice at the other end. To copy the text into the
175 kill ring without deleting it from the buffer, press @kbd{Mouse-3}
176 just once---or just drag across the text with @kbd{Mouse-1}. Then you
177 can copy it elsewhere by yanking it.
180 The @code{mouse-save-then-kill} command also obeys the variable
181 @code{mouse-drag-copy-region} (described above). If the value is
182 non-@code{nil}, then whenever the command sets or adjusts the active
183 region, the text in the region is also added to the kill ring. If the
184 latest kill ring entry had been added the same way, that entry is
185 replaced rather than making a new entry.
187 Whenever you set the region using any of the mouse commands
188 described above, the mark will be deactivated by any subsequent
189 unshifted cursor motion command, in addition to the usual ways of
190 deactivating the mark. @xref{Shift Selection}.
193 @findex mouse-wheel-mode
194 @cindex Mouse Wheel minor mode
195 @cindex mode, Mouse Wheel
196 @vindex mouse-wheel-follow-mouse
197 @vindex mouse-wheel-scroll-amount
198 @vindex mouse-wheel-progressive-speed
199 Some mice have a ``wheel'' which can be used for scrolling. Emacs
200 supports scrolling windows with the mouse wheel, by default, on most
201 graphical displays. To toggle this feature, use @kbd{M-x
202 mouse-wheel-mode}. The variables @code{mouse-wheel-follow-mouse} and
203 @code{mouse-wheel-scroll-amount} determine where and by how much
204 buffers are scrolled. The variable
205 @code{mouse-wheel-progressive-speed} determines whether the scroll
206 speed is linked to how fast you move the wheel.
208 @node Word and Line Mouse
209 @section Mouse Commands for Words and Lines
211 These variants of @kbd{Mouse-1} select entire words or lines at a
212 time. Emacs activates the region around the selected text, which is
213 also copied to the kill ring.
217 Select the text around the word which you click on.
219 Double-clicking on a character with ``symbol'' syntax (such as
220 underscore, in C mode) selects the symbol surrounding that character.
221 Double-clicking on a character with open- or close-parenthesis syntax
222 selects the parenthetical grouping which that character starts or
223 ends. Double-clicking on a character with string-delimiter syntax
224 (such as a single-quote or double-quote in C) selects the string
225 constant (Emacs uses heuristics to figure out whether that character
226 is the beginning or the end of it).
228 @item Double-Drag-Mouse-1
229 Select the text you drag across, in the form of whole words.
232 Select the line you click on.
234 @item Triple-Drag-Mouse-1
235 Select the text you drag across, in the form of whole lines.
238 @node Mouse References
239 @section Following References with the Mouse
240 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(on buttons)}
241 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(on buttons)}
247 @vindex mouse-highlight
248 Some Emacs buffers include @dfn{buttons}, or @dfn{hyperlinks}:
249 pieces of text that perform some action (e.g., following a reference)
250 when activated (e.g., by clicking on them). Usually, a button's text
251 is visually highlighted: it is underlined, or a box is drawn around
252 it. If you move the mouse over a button, the shape of the mouse
253 cursor changes and the button lights up. If you change the variable
254 @code{mouse-highlight} to @code{nil}, Emacs disables this
257 You can activate a button by moving point to it and typing
258 @key{RET}, or by clicking either @kbd{Mouse-1} or @kbd{Mouse-2} on the
259 button. For example, in a Dired buffer, each file name is a button;
260 activating it causes Emacs to visit that file (@pxref{Dired}). In a
261 @file{*Compilation*} buffer, each error message is a button, and
262 activating it visits the source code for that error
263 (@pxref{Compilation}).
265 Although clicking @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button usually activates the
266 button, if you hold the mouse button down for a period of time before
267 releasing it (specifically, for more than 450 milliseconds), then
268 Emacs moves point where you clicked, without activating the button.
269 In this way, you can use the mouse to move point over a button without
270 activating it. Dragging the mouse over or onto a button has its usual
271 behavior of setting the region, and does not activate the button.
273 You can change how @kbd{Mouse-1} applies to buttons by customizing
274 the variable @code{mouse-1-click-follows-link}. If the value is a
275 positive integer, that determines how long you need to hold the mouse
276 button down for, in milliseconds, to cancel button activation; the
277 default is 450, as described in the previous paragraph. If the value
278 is @code{nil}, @kbd{Mouse-1} just sets point where you clicked, and
279 does not activate buttons. If the value is @code{double}, double
280 clicks activate buttons but single clicks just set point.
282 @vindex mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows
283 Normally, @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button activates the button even if it
284 is in a non-selected window. If you change the variable
285 @code{mouse-1-click-in-non-selected-windows} to @code{nil},
286 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a button in an unselected window moves point to the
287 clicked position and selects that window, without activating the
290 @node Menu Mouse Clicks
291 @section Mouse Clicks for Menus
293 Several mouse clicks with the @key{CTRL} and @key{SHIFT} modifiers
299 This menu is for selecting a buffer.
301 The MSB (``mouse select buffer'') global minor mode makes this
302 menu smarter and more customizable. @xref{Buffer Menus}.
306 This menu contains entries for examining faces and other text
307 properties, and well as for setting them (the latter is mainly useful
308 when editing enriched text; @pxref{Enriched Text}).
312 This menu is mode-specific. For most modes if Menu-bar mode is on,
313 this menu has the same items as all the mode-specific menu-bar menus
314 put together. Some modes may specify a different menu for this
315 button. If Menu Bar mode is off, this menu contains all the items
316 which would be present in the menu bar---not just the mode-specific
317 ones---so that you can access them without having to display the menu
321 This menu is for changing the default face within the window's buffer.
325 Some graphical applications use @kbd{Mouse-3} for a mode-specific
326 menu. If you prefer @kbd{Mouse-3} in Emacs to bring up such a menu
327 instead of running the @code{mouse-save-then-kill} command, rebind
328 @kbd{Mouse-3} by adding the following line to your init file
329 (@pxref{Init Rebinding}):
332 (global-set-key [mouse-3] 'mouse-popup-menubar-stuff)
335 @node Mode Line Mouse
336 @section Mode Line Mouse Commands
337 @cindex mode line, mouse
338 @cindex mouse on mode line
340 You can use mouse clicks on window mode lines to select and manipulate
343 Some areas of the mode line, such as the buffer name, and major and minor
344 mode names, have their own special mouse bindings. These areas are
345 highlighted when you hold the mouse over them, and information about
346 the special bindings will be displayed (@pxref{Tooltips}). This
347 section's commands do not apply in those areas.
351 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(mode line)}
352 @kbd{Mouse-1} on a mode line selects the window it belongs to. By
353 dragging @kbd{Mouse-1} on the mode line, you can move it, thus
354 changing the height of the windows above and below. Changing heights
355 with the mouse in this way never deletes windows, it just refuses to
356 make any window smaller than the minimum height.
359 @kindex Mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
360 @kbd{Mouse-2} on a mode line expands that window to fill its frame.
363 @kindex Mouse-3 @r{(mode line)}
364 @kbd{Mouse-3} on a mode line deletes the window it belongs to. If the
365 frame has only one window, it does nothing.
368 @kindex C-mouse-2 @r{(mode line)}
369 @kbd{C-Mouse-2} on a mode line splits that window, producing two
370 side-by-side windows with the boundary running through the click
371 position (@pxref{Split Window}).
374 @kindex Mouse-1 @r{(scroll bar)}
375 Furthermore, by clicking and dragging @kbd{Mouse-1} on the divider
376 between two side-by-side mode lines, you can move the vertical
377 boundary to the left or right.
379 @node Creating Frames
380 @section Creating Frames
381 @cindex creating frames
384 The prefix key @kbd{C-x 5} is analogous to @kbd{C-x 4}. Whereas
385 each @kbd{C-x 4} command pops up a buffer in a different window in the
386 selected frame (@pxref{Pop Up Window}), the @kbd{C-x 5} commands use a
387 different frame. If an existing visible or iconified (``minimized'')
388 frame already displays the requested buffer, that frame is raised and
389 deiconified (``un-minimized''); otherwise, a new frame is created on
390 the current display terminal.
392 The various @kbd{C-x 5} commands differ in how they find or create the
398 @findex make-frame-command
399 Create a new frame (@code{make-frame-command}).
400 @item C-x 5 b @var{bufname} @key{RET}
401 Select buffer @var{bufname} in another frame. This runs
402 @code{switch-to-buffer-other-frame}.
403 @item C-x 5 f @var{filename} @key{RET}
404 Visit file @var{filename} and select its buffer in another frame. This
405 runs @code{find-file-other-frame}. @xref{Visiting}.
406 @item C-x 5 d @var{directory} @key{RET}
407 Select a Dired buffer for directory @var{directory} in another frame.
408 This runs @code{dired-other-frame}. @xref{Dired}.
410 Start composing a mail message in another frame. This runs
411 @code{mail-other-frame}. It is the other-frame variant of @kbd{C-x m}.
414 Find a tag in the current tag table in another frame. This runs
415 @code{find-tag-other-frame}, the multiple-frame variant of @kbd{M-.}.
417 @item C-x 5 r @var{filename} @key{RET}
419 @findex find-file-read-only-other-frame
420 Visit file @var{filename} read-only, and select its buffer in another
421 frame. This runs @code{find-file-read-only-other-frame}.
425 You can control the appearance and behavior of the newly-created
426 frames by specifying @dfn{frame parameters}. @xref{Frame Parameters}.
429 @section Frame Commands
431 The following commands are used to delete and operate on frames:
437 Delete the selected frame (@code{delete-frame}). This signals an
438 error if there is only one frame.
441 @kindex C-z @r{(X windows)}
442 @findex suspend-frame
443 Minimize (or ``iconify) the selected Emacs frame
444 (@code{suspend-frame}). @xref{Exiting}.
449 Select another frame, and raise it. If you repeat this command, it
450 cycles through all the frames on your terminal.
454 @findex delete-other-frames
455 Delete all frames on the current terminal, except the selected one.
459 @findex toggle-frame-maximized
460 Toggle maximization state of the current frame.
464 @findex toggle-frame-fullscreen
465 Toggle fullscreen mode of the current frame.
468 The @kbd{C-x 5 0} (@code{delete-frame}) command deletes the selected
469 frame. However, it will refuse to delete the last frame in an Emacs
470 session, to prevent you from losing the ability to interact with the
471 Emacs session. Note that when Emacs is run as a daemon (@pxref{Emacs
472 Server}), there is always a ``virtual frame'' that remains after all
473 the ordinary, interactive frames are deleted. In this case, @kbd{C-x
474 5 0} can delete the last interactive frame; you can use
475 @command{emacsclient} to reconnect to the Emacs session.
477 The @kbd{C-x 5 1} (@code{delete-other-frames}) command deletes all
478 other frames on the current terminal (this terminal refers to either a
479 graphical display, or a text terminal; @pxref{Non-Window Terminals}).
480 If the Emacs session has frames open on other graphical displays or
481 text terminals, those are not deleted.
483 @vindex focus-follows-mouse
484 The @kbd{C-x 5 o} (@code{other-frame}) command selects the next
485 frame on the current terminal. If you are using Emacs on the X Window
486 System with a window manager that selects (or @dfn{gives focus to})
487 whatever frame the mouse cursor is over, you have to change the
488 variable @code{focus-follows-mouse} to @code{t} in order for this
489 command to work properly. Then invoking @kbd{C-x 5 o} will also warp
490 the mouse cursor to the chosen frame.
496 By default, Emacs displays text on graphical displays using a
497 10-point monospace font. There are several different ways to specify
502 Click on @samp{Set Default Font} in the @samp{Options} menu. This
503 makes the selected font the default on all existing graphical frames.
504 To save this for future sessions, click on @samp{Save Options} in the
508 Add a line to your init file, modifying the variable
509 @code{default-frame-alist} to specify the @code{font} parameter
510 (@pxref{Frame Parameters}), like this:
513 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist
514 '(font . "DejaVu Sans Mono-10"))
518 This makes the font the default on all graphical frames created after
519 restarting Emacs with that init file.
521 @cindex X defaults file
522 @cindex X resources file
524 Add an @samp{emacs.font} X resource setting to your X resource file,
528 emacs.font: DejaVu Sans Mono-12
532 You must restart X, or use the @command{xrdb} command, for the X
533 resources file to take effect. @xref{Resources}. Do not quote
534 font names in X resource files.
537 If you are running Emacs on the GNOME desktop, you can tell Emacs to
538 use the default system font by setting the variable
539 @code{font-use-system-font} to @code{t} (the default is @code{nil}).
540 For this to work, Emacs must have been compiled with Gconf support.
543 Use the command line option @samp{-fn} (or @samp{--font}). @xref{Font
547 To check what font you're currently using, the @kbd{C-u C-x =}
548 command can be helpful. It describes the character at point, and
549 names the font that it's rendered in.
552 On X, there are four different ways to express a ``font name''. The
553 first is to use a @dfn{Fontconfig pattern}. Fontconfig patterns have
557 @var{fontname}[-@var{fontsize}][:@var{name1}=@var{values1}][:@var{name2}=@var{values2}]...
561 Within this format, any of the elements in braces may be omitted.
562 Here, @var{fontname} is the @dfn{family name} of the font, such as
563 @samp{Monospace} or @samp{DejaVu Sans Mono}; @var{fontsize} is the
564 @dfn{point size} of the font (one @dfn{printer's point} is about 1/72
565 of an inch); and the @samp{@var{name}=@var{values}} entries specify
566 settings such as the slant and weight of the font. Each @var{values}
567 may be a single value, or a list of values separated by commas. In
568 addition, some property values are valid with only one kind of
569 property name, in which case the @samp{@var{name}=} part may be
572 Here is a list of common font properties:
576 One of @samp{italic}, @samp{oblique}, or @samp{roman}.
579 One of @samp{light}, @samp{medium}, @samp{demibold}, @samp{bold} or
583 Some fonts define special styles which are a combination of slant and
584 weight. For instance, @samp{Dejavu Sans} defines the @samp{book}
585 style, which overrides the slant and weight properties.
588 One of @samp{condensed}, @samp{normal}, or @samp{expanded}.
591 One of @samp{monospace}, @samp{proportional}, @samp{dual-width}, or
596 Here are some examples of Fontconfig patterns:
602 DejaVu Sans Mono:bold:italic
603 Monospace-12:weight=bold:slant=italic
606 For a more detailed description of Fontconfig patterns, see the
607 Fontconfig manual, which is distributed with Fontconfig and available
608 online at @url{http://fontconfig.org/fontconfig-user.html}.
610 @cindex GTK font pattern
611 The second way to specify a font is to use a @dfn{GTK font pattern}.
612 These have the syntax
615 @var{fontname} [@var{properties}] [@var{fontsize}]
619 where @var{fontname} is the family name, @var{properties} is a list of
620 property values separated by spaces, and @var{fontsize} is the point
621 size. The properties that you may specify for GTK font patterns are
626 Slant properties: @samp{Italic} or @samp{Oblique}. If omitted, the
627 default (roman) slant is implied.
629 Weight properties: @samp{Bold}, @samp{Book}, @samp{Light},
630 @samp{Medium}, @samp{Semi-bold}, or @samp{Ultra-light}. If omitted,
631 @samp{Medium} weight is implied.
633 Width properties: @samp{Semi-Condensed} or @samp{Condensed}. If
634 omitted, a default width is used.
638 Here are some examples of GTK font patterns:
642 Monospace Bold Italic 12
646 @cindex X Logical Font Description
647 The third way to specify a font is to use an @dfn{XLFD} (@dfn{X
648 Logical Font Description}). This is the traditional method for
649 specifying fonts under X@. Each XLFD consists of fourteen words or
650 numbers, separated by dashes, like this:
653 -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1
657 A wildcard character (@samp{*}) in an XLFD matches any sequence of
658 characters (including none), and @samp{?} matches any single
659 character. However, matching is implementation-dependent, and can be
660 inaccurate when wildcards match dashes in a long name. For reliable
661 results, supply all 14 dashes and use wildcards only within a field.
662 Case is insignificant in an XLFD@. The syntax for an XLFD is as
666 -@var{maker}-@var{family}-@var{weight}-@var{slant}-@var{widthtype}-@var{style}@dots{}
667 @dots{}-@var{pixels}-@var{height}-@var{horiz}-@var{vert}-@var{spacing}-@var{width}-@var{registry}-@var{encoding}
671 The entries have the following meanings:
675 The name of the font manufacturer.
677 The name of the font family (e.g., @samp{courier}).
679 The font weight---normally either @samp{bold}, @samp{medium} or
680 @samp{light}. Some font names support other values.
682 The font slant---normally @samp{r} (roman), @samp{i} (italic),
683 @samp{o} (oblique), @samp{ri} (reverse italic), or @samp{ot} (other).
684 Some font names support other values.
686 The font width---normally @samp{normal}, @samp{condensed},
687 @samp{semicondensed}, or @samp{extended}. Some font names support
690 An optional additional style name. Usually it is empty---most XLFDs
691 have two hyphens in a row at this point.
693 The font height, in pixels.
695 The font height on the screen, measured in tenths of a printer's
696 point. This is the point size of the font, times ten. For a given
697 vertical resolution, @var{height} and @var{pixels} are proportional;
698 therefore, it is common to specify just one of them and use @samp{*}
701 The horizontal resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for which
702 the font is intended.
704 The vertical resolution, in pixels per inch, of the screen for which
705 the font is intended. Normally the resolution of the fonts on your
706 system is the right value for your screen; therefore, you normally
707 specify @samp{*} for this and @var{horiz}.
709 This is @samp{m} (monospace), @samp{p} (proportional) or @samp{c}
712 The average character width, in pixels, multiplied by ten.
715 The X font character set that the font depicts. (X font character
716 sets are not the same as Emacs character sets, but they are similar.)
717 You can use the @command{xfontsel} program to check which choices you
718 have. Normally you should use @samp{iso8859} for @var{registry} and
719 @samp{1} for @var{encoding}.
722 The fourth and final method of specifying a font is to use a ``font
723 nickname''. Certain fonts have shorter nicknames, which you can use
724 instead of a normal font specification. For instance, @samp{6x13} is
728 -misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-*-*-*-c-60-iso8859-1
731 @cindex client-side fonts
732 @cindex server-side fonts
733 On X, Emacs recognizes two types of fonts: @dfn{client-side} fonts,
734 which are provided by the Xft and Fontconfig libraries, and
735 @dfn{server-side} fonts, which are provided by the X server itself.
736 Most client-side fonts support advanced font features such as
737 antialiasing and subpixel hinting, while server-side fonts do not.
738 Fontconfig and GTK patterns match only client-side fonts.
740 @cindex listing system fonts
741 You will probably want to use a fixed-width default font---that is,
742 a font in which all characters have the same width. For Xft and
743 Fontconfig fonts, you can use the @command{fc-list} command to list
744 the available fixed-width fonts, like this:
747 fc-list :spacing=mono fc-list :spacing=charcell
751 For server-side X fonts, you can use the @command{xlsfonts} program to
752 list the available fixed-width fonts, like this:
755 xlsfonts -fn '*x*' | egrep "^[0-9]+x[0-9]+"
756 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-m*'
757 xlsfonts -fn '*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-c*'
761 Any font with @samp{m} or @samp{c} in the @var{spacing} field of the
762 XLFD is a fixed-width font. To see what a particular font looks like,
763 use the @command{xfd} command. For example:
770 displays the entire font @samp{6x13}.
772 While running Emacs, you can also set the font of a specific kind of
773 text (@pxref{Faces}), or a particular frame (@pxref{Frame
777 @section Speedbar Frames
780 @cindex attached frame (of speedbar)
781 The @dfn{speedbar} is a special frame for conveniently navigating in
782 or operating on another frame. The speedbar, when it exists, is
783 always associated with a specific frame, called its @dfn{attached
784 frame}; all speedbar operations act on that frame.
786 Type @kbd{M-x speedbar} to create the speedbar and associate it with
787 the current frame. To dismiss the speedbar, type @kbd{M-x speedbar}
788 again, or select the speedbar and type @kbd{q}. (You can also delete
789 the speedbar frame like any other Emacs frame.) If you wish to
790 associate the speedbar with a different frame, dismiss it and call
791 @kbd{M-x speedbar} from that frame.
793 The speedbar can operate in various modes. Its default mode is
794 @dfn{File Display} mode, which shows the files in the current
795 directory of the selected window of the attached frame, one file per
796 line. Clicking on a file name visits that file in the selected window
797 of the attached frame, and clicking on a directory name shows that
798 directory in the speedbar (@pxref{Mouse References}). Each line also
799 has a box, @samp{[+]} or @samp{<+>}, that you can click on to
800 @dfn{expand} the contents of that item. Expanding a directory adds
801 the contents of that directory to the speedbar display, underneath the
802 directory's own line. Expanding an ordinary file adds a list of the
803 tags in that file to the speedbar display; you can click on a tag name
804 to jump to that tag in the selected window of the attached frame.
805 When a file or directory is expanded, the @samp{[+]} changes to
806 @samp{[-]}; you can click on that box to @dfn{contract} the item,
809 You navigate through the speedbar using the keyboard, too. Typing
810 @key{RET} while point is on a line in the speedbar is equivalent to
811 clicking the item on the current line, and @key{SPC} expands or
812 contracts the item. @kbd{U} displays the parent directory of the
813 current directory. To copy, delete, or rename the file on the current
814 line, type @kbd{C}, @kbd{D}, and @kbd{R} respectively. To create a
815 new directory, type @kbd{M}.
817 Another general-purpose speedbar mode is @dfn{Buffer Display} mode;
818 in this mode, the speedbar displays a list of Emacs buffers. To
819 switch to this mode, type @kbd{b} in the speedbar. To return to File
820 Display mode, type @kbd{f}. You can also change the display mode by
821 clicking @kbd{mouse-3} anywhere in the speedbar window (or
822 @kbd{mouse-1} on the mode-line) and selecting @samp{Displays} in the
825 Some major modes, including Rmail mode, Info, and GUD, have
826 specialized ways of putting useful items into the speedbar for you to
827 select. For example, in Rmail mode, the speedbar shows a list of Rmail
828 files, and lets you move the current message to another Rmail file by
829 clicking on its @samp{<M>} box.
831 For more details on using and programming the speedbar, @xref{Top,
832 Speedbar,,speedbar, Speedbar Manual}.
834 @node Multiple Displays
835 @section Multiple Displays
836 @cindex multiple displays
838 A single Emacs can talk to more than one X display. Initially, Emacs
839 uses just one display---the one specified with the @env{DISPLAY}
840 environment variable or with the @samp{--display} option (@pxref{Initial
841 Options}). To connect to another display, use the command
842 @code{make-frame-on-display}:
844 @findex make-frame-on-display
846 @item M-x make-frame-on-display @key{RET} @var{display} @key{RET}
847 Create a new frame on display @var{display}.
850 A single X server can handle more than one screen. When you open
851 frames on two screens belonging to one server, Emacs knows they share a
852 single keyboard, and it treats all the commands arriving from these
853 screens as a single stream of input.
855 When you open frames on different X servers, Emacs makes a separate
856 input stream for each server. Each server also has its own selected
857 frame. The commands you enter with a particular X server apply to
858 that server's selected frame.
860 @node Frame Parameters
861 @section Frame Parameters
862 @cindex default-frame-alist
864 You can control the default appearance and behavior of all frames by
865 specifying a default list of @dfn{frame parameters} in the variable
866 @code{default-frame-alist}. Its value should be a list of entries,
867 each specifying a parameter name and a value for that parameter.
868 These entries take effect whenever Emacs creates a new frame,
869 including the initial frame.
871 @cindex frame size, specifying default
872 For example, you can add the following lines to your init file
873 (@pxref{Init File}) to set the default frame width to 90 character
874 columns, the default frame height to 40 character rows, and the
875 default font to @samp{Monospace-10}:
878 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(width . 90))
879 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(height . 40))
880 (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist '(font . "Monospace-10"))
883 For a list of frame parameters and their effects, see @ref{Frame
884 Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
886 @cindex initial-frame-alist
887 You can also specify a list of frame parameters which apply to just
888 the initial frame, by customizing the variable
889 @code{initial-frame-alist}.
891 If Emacs is compiled to use an X toolkit, frame parameters that
892 specify colors and fonts don't affect menus and the menu bar, since
893 those are drawn by the toolkit and not directly by Emacs.
897 @cindex Scroll Bar mode
898 @cindex mode, Scroll Bar
900 On graphical displays, there is a @dfn{scroll bar} on the side of
901 each Emacs window. Clicking @kbd{Mouse-1} on the scroll bar's up and
902 down buttons scrolls the window by one line at a time. Clicking
903 @kbd{Mouse-1} above or below the scroll bar's inner box scrolls the
904 window by nearly the entire height of the window, like @kbd{M-v} and
905 @kbd{C-v} respectively (@pxref{Moving Point}). Dragging the inner box
906 scrolls continuously.
908 If Emacs is compiled on the X Window System without X toolkit
909 support, the scroll bar behaves differently. Clicking @kbd{Mouse-1}
910 anywhere on the scroll bar scrolls forward like @kbd{C-v}, while
911 @kbd{Mouse-3} scrolls backward like @kbd{M-v}. Clicking @kbd{Mouse-2}
912 in the scroll bar lets you drag the inner box up and down.
914 @findex scroll-bar-mode
915 @findex toggle-scroll-bar
916 To toggle the use of scroll bars, type @kbd{M-x scroll-bar-mode}.
917 This command applies to all frames, including frames yet to be
918 created. To toggle scroll bars for just the selected frame, use the
919 command @kbd{M-x toggle-scroll-bar}.
921 @vindex scroll-bar-mode
922 To control the use of scroll bars at startup, customize the variable
923 @code{scroll-bar-mode}. Its value should be either @code{right} (put
924 scroll bars on the right side of windows), @code{left} (put them on
925 the left), or @code{nil} (disable scroll bars). By default, Emacs
926 puts scroll bars on the right if it was compiled with GTK+ support on
927 the X Window System, and on MS-Windows or Mac OS; Emacs puts scroll
928 bars on the left if compiled on the X Window System without GTK+
929 support (following the old convention for X applications).
931 @vindex scroll-bar-width
932 @cindex width of the scroll bar
933 You can also use the X resource @samp{verticalScrollBars} to enable
934 or disable the scroll bars (@pxref{Resources}). To control the scroll
935 bar width, change the @code{scroll-bar-width} frame parameter
936 (@pxref{Frame Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
938 @vindex scroll-bar-adjust-thumb-portion
939 @cindex overscrolling
940 If you're using Emacs on X (with GTK+ or Motif), you can customize the
941 variable @code{scroll-bar-adjust-thumb-portion} to control
942 @dfn{overscrolling} of the scroll bar, i.e. dragging the thumb down even
943 when the end of the buffer is visible. If its value is
944 non-@code{nil}, the scroll bar can be dragged downwards even if the
945 end of the buffer is shown; if @code{nil}, the thumb will be at the
946 bottom when the end of the buffer is shown. You can not over-scroll
947 when the entire buffer is visible.
950 @section Drag and Drop
951 @cindex drag and drop
953 In most graphical desktop environments, Emacs has basic support for
954 @dfn{drag and drop} operations. For instance, dropping text onto an
955 Emacs frame inserts the text where it is dropped. Dropping a file
956 onto an Emacs frame visits that file. As a special case, dropping the
957 file on a Dired buffer moves or copies the file (according to the
958 conventions of the application it came from) into the directory
959 displayed in that buffer.
961 @vindex dnd-open-file-other-window
962 Dropping a file normally visits it in the window you drop it on. If
963 you prefer to visit the file in a new window in such cases, customize
964 the variable @code{dnd-open-file-other-window}.
966 The XDND and Motif drag and drop protocols, and the old KDE 1.x
967 protocol, are currently supported.
971 @cindex Menu Bar mode
972 @cindex mode, Menu Bar
973 @findex menu-bar-mode
974 @vindex menu-bar-mode
976 You can toggle the use of menu bars with @kbd{M-x menu-bar-mode}.
977 With no argument, this command toggles Menu Bar mode, a global minor
978 mode. With an argument, the command turns Menu Bar mode on if the
979 argument is positive, off if the argument is not positive. To control
980 the use of menu bars at startup, customize the variable
981 @code{menu-bar-mode}.
983 @kindex C-Mouse-3 @r{(when menu bar is disabled)}
984 Expert users often turn off the menu bar, especially on text
985 terminals, where this makes one additional line available for text.
986 If the menu bar is off, you can still pop up a menu of its contents
987 with @kbd{C-Mouse-3} on a display which supports pop-up menus.
988 @xref{Menu Mouse Clicks}.
990 @xref{Menu Bar}, for information on how to invoke commands with the
991 menu bar. @xref{X Resources}, for how to customize the menu bar
992 menus' visual appearance.
996 @cindex Tool Bar mode
997 @cindex mode, Tool Bar
998 @cindex icons, toolbar
1000 On graphical displays, Emacs puts a @dfn{tool bar} at the top of
1001 each frame, just below the menu bar. This is a row of icons which you
1002 can click on with the mouse to invoke various commands.
1004 The global (default) tool bar contains general commands. Some major
1005 modes define their own tool bars; whenever a buffer with such a major
1006 mode is current, the mode's tool bar replaces the global tool bar.
1008 @findex tool-bar-mode
1009 @vindex tool-bar-mode
1010 To toggle the use of tool bars, type @kbd{M-x tool-bar-mode}. This
1011 command applies to all frames, including frames yet to be created. To
1012 control the use of tool bars at startup, customize the variable
1013 @code{tool-bar-mode}.
1015 @vindex tool-bar-style
1016 @cindex Tool Bar style
1017 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support, each tool bar item can
1018 consist of an image, or a text label, or both. By default, Emacs
1019 follows the Gnome desktop's tool bar style setting; if none is
1020 defined, it displays tool bar items as just images. To impose a
1021 specific tool bar style, customize the variable @code{tool-bar-style}.
1023 @cindex Tool Bar position
1024 You can also control the placement of the tool bar for the GTK+ tool
1025 bar with the frame parameter @code{tool-bar-position}. @xref{Frame
1026 Parameters,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}.
1029 @section Using Dialog Boxes
1030 @cindex dialog boxes
1032 @vindex use-dialog-box
1033 A dialog box is a special kind of menu for asking you a yes-or-no
1034 question or some other special question. Many Emacs commands use a
1035 dialog box to ask a yes-or-no question, if you used the mouse to
1036 invoke the command that led to the question.
1038 To disable the use of dialog boxes, change the variable
1039 @code{use-dialog-box} to @code{nil}. In that case, Emacs always
1040 performs yes-or-no prompts using the echo area and keyboard input.
1041 This variable also controls whether to use file selection windows (but
1042 those are not supported on all platforms).
1044 @vindex use-file-dialog
1045 @cindex file selection dialog, how to disable
1046 A file selection window is a special kind of dialog box for asking
1047 for file names. You can customize the variable @code{use-file-dialog}
1048 to suppress the use of file selection windows, even if you still want
1049 other kinds of dialogs. This variable has no effect if you have
1050 suppressed all dialog boxes with the variable @code{use-dialog-box}.
1052 @vindex x-gtk-show-hidden-files
1053 @vindex x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text
1054 @cindex hidden files, in GTK+ file chooser
1055 @cindex help text, in GTK+ file chooser
1056 When Emacs is compiled with GTK+ support, it uses the GTK+ ``file
1057 chooser'' dialog. Emacs adds an additional toggle button to this
1058 dialog, which you can use to enable or disable the display of hidden
1059 files (files starting with a dot) in that dialog. If you want this
1060 toggle to be activated by default, change the variable
1061 @code{x-gtk-show-hidden-files} to @code{t}. In addition, Emacs adds
1062 help text to the GTK+ file chooser dialog; to disable this help text,
1063 change the variable @code{x-gtk-file-dialog-help-text} to @code{nil}.
1069 @dfn{Tooltips} are small windows that display text information at
1070 the current mouse position. They activate when there is a pause in
1071 mouse movement over some significant piece of text in a window, or the
1072 mode line, or some other part of the Emacs frame such as a tool bar
1073 button or menu item.
1075 @findex tooltip-mode
1076 You can toggle the use of tooltips with the command @kbd{M-x
1077 tooltip-mode}. When Tooltip mode is disabled, the help text is
1078 displayed in the echo area instead. To control the use of tooltips at
1079 startup, customize the variable @code{tooltip-mode}.
1081 @vindex tooltip-delay
1082 The variables @code{tooltip-delay} specifies how long Emacs should
1083 wait before displaying a tooltip. For additional customization
1084 options for displaying tooltips, use @kbd{M-x customize-group
1085 @key{RET} tooltip @key{RET}}.
1087 @vindex x-gtk-use-system-tooltips
1088 If Emacs is built with GTK+ support, it displays tooltips via GTK+,
1089 using the default appearance of GTK+ tooltips. To disable this,
1090 change the variable @code{x-gtk-use-system-tooltips} to @code{nil}.
1091 If you do this, or if Emacs is built without GTK+ support, most
1092 attributes of the tooltip text are specified by the @code{tooltip}
1093 face, and by X resources (@pxref{X Resources}).
1095 @dfn{GUD tooltips} are special tooltips that show the values of
1096 variables when debugging a program with GUD@. @xref{Debugger
1099 @node Mouse Avoidance
1100 @section Mouse Avoidance
1101 @cindex avoiding mouse in the way of your typing
1102 @cindex mouse avoidance
1104 On graphical terminals, the mouse pointer may obscure the text in
1105 the Emacs frame. Emacs provides two methods to avoid this problem.
1107 @vindex make-pointer-invisible
1108 Firstly, Emacs hides the mouse pointer each time you type a
1109 self-inserting character, if the pointer lies inside an Emacs frame;
1110 moving the mouse pointer makes it visible again. To disable this
1111 feature, set the variable @code{make-pointer-invisible} to @code{nil}.
1113 @vindex mouse-avoidance-mode
1114 Secondly, you can use Mouse Avoidance mode, a minor mode, to keep
1115 the mouse pointer away from point. To use Mouse Avoidance mode,
1116 customize the variable @code{mouse-avoidance-mode}. You can set this
1117 to various values to move the mouse in several ways:
1121 Move the pointer to a corner of the frame on any key-press. You can
1122 customize the variable @code{mouse-avoidance-banish-position} to
1123 specify where the pointer goes when it is banished.
1125 Banish the pointer only if the cursor gets too close, and allow it to
1126 return once the cursor is out of the way.
1128 If the cursor gets too close to the pointer, displace the pointer by a
1129 random distance and direction.
1131 As @code{jump}, but shows steps along the way for illusion of motion.
1133 The same as @code{animate}.
1135 As @code{animate}, but changes the shape of the mouse pointer too.
1138 @findex mouse-avoidance-mode
1139 You can also use the command @kbd{M-x mouse-avoidance-mode} to enable
1140 the mode. Whenever Mouse Avoidance mode moves the mouse, it also
1143 @node Non-Window Terminals
1144 @section Non-Window Terminals
1145 @cindex text terminal
1147 On a text terminal, Emacs can display only one Emacs frame at a
1148 time. However, you can still create multiple Emacs frames, and switch
1149 between them. Switching frames on these terminals is much like
1150 switching between different window configurations.
1152 Use @kbd{C-x 5 2} to create a new frame and switch to it; use @kbd{C-x
1153 5 o} to cycle through the existing frames; use @kbd{C-x 5 0} to delete
1156 Each frame has a number to distinguish it. If your terminal can
1157 display only one frame at a time, the selected frame's number @var{n}
1158 appears near the beginning of the mode line, in the form
1161 @findex set-frame-name
1162 @findex select-frame-by-name
1163 @samp{F@var{n}} is in fact the frame's initial name. You can give
1164 frames more meaningful names if you wish, and you can select a frame
1165 by its name. Use the command @kbd{M-x set-frame-name @key{RET}
1166 @var{name} @key{RET}} to specify a new name for the selected frame,
1167 and use @kbd{M-x select-frame-by-name @key{RET} @var{name} @key{RET}}
1168 to select a frame according to its name. The name you specify appears
1169 in the mode line when the frame is selected.
1171 @node Text-Only Mouse
1172 @section Using a Mouse in Text Terminals
1173 @cindex mouse support
1174 @cindex terminal emulators, mouse support
1176 Some text terminals support mouse clicks in the terminal window.
1179 In a terminal emulator which is compatible with @command{xterm}, you
1180 can use @kbd{M-x xterm-mouse-mode} to give Emacs control over simple
1181 uses of the mouse---basically, only non-modified single clicks are
1182 supported. The normal @command{xterm} mouse functionality for such
1183 clicks is still available by holding down the @kbd{SHIFT} key when you
1184 press the mouse button. Xterm Mouse mode is a global minor mode
1185 (@pxref{Minor Modes}). Repeating the command turns the mode off
1188 @findex gpm-mouse-mode
1189 In the console on GNU/Linux, you can use @kbd{M-x gpm-mouse-mode} to
1190 enable mouse support. You must have the gpm server installed and
1191 running on your system in order for this to work.
1194 @xref{MS-DOS Mouse,,,emacs-xtra,Specialized Emacs Features},
1197 @xref{MS-DOS Mouse},
1199 for information about mouse support on MS-DOS.